How did YOU train your dog to leave chickens alone?

[aoxa]

I would change that to chasing. Birds are stressed and just want to get back in the pen to get away.

The one I posted or the one I commented on?

Yeah. Playful chasing. The dogs looked excited. Excited is not a good state of mind around poultry.

 

[Scott H]

The one I posted or the one I commented on?

Yeah. Playful chasing. The dogs looked excited. Excited is not a good state of mind around poultry.

Commented on. I would not let my dog chase like that. Not fair to the chickens. The one you posted on got the chickens where it wanted by gently "shading" them.

 

[gladahmae]

It seems that good basic obenience training is pretty key to this topic. What trainers/methods do you all recommend? I've noted the Patricia McConnell reference already, but what other books/dvds/systems do you find to be most effective?

 

[The Hen]

We let the chickens free range then one at time took our dogs outside on a leash and up to the chickens, let the dogs sniff them, and would say "NO" and pull the dog back. Then would walk naturally with them on the leash and up to the chickens and do it again. Then when i would let the dogs out in the day i would go out too for a bit and keep watch to make sure they left the ladies alone. They did. No problems.

 

[gladahmae]

if I were looking at dogs from shelters/rescues, would tolerance of cats be a decent indicator of potential tolerance of chickens? I'm thinking of prey drive here......there are VERY few rescues that foster withing 3hours drive from us, but lots and lots of shelters.

 

[TLWR]

I had a greyhound and a doberman when I ordered ducklings. The ducklings were raised outside on the patio in the dog kennel. Dogs saw the ducklings all the time. Ducklings were safe from the dogs. The dogs know that "mine' means it is MINE, not theirs. So each time I held the ducklings, I said MINE and then would let the dogs get close and check out each duckling. They got nipped a few times in the nose. Between not being able to do anything with them and the ducklings nipping their nose a couple of times, they decided the ducklings weren't all that interesting. The dobie ignores to the point of about plowing them over when he goes running around like crazy - he pays no attention to them. The greyhound just follows them around to see if they will leave her fresh poop. All of the dogs love duck poop

The following year, we adopted a 1 year old great dane. She lived with other dogs, cats and a ferret. She was introduced to the ducks on a leash. For about 2 weeks. I'd let her off and not let her too near the ducks. Then I took the calmest runner and sat down with her and let the dane come over and check her out. I started to let her out off leash, but watched closely for a week and would call her when she was too close, but she never went to intentionally find them. I did the same with her as I did with the dogs and new ducklings... MINE. She knew leave it (as did the other dogs) and they heard that when they got close.


So for us, prior training for the dogs was key. And all my dogs have lived with other small furries and stuff, so their prey drive is controllable.
I was very concerned bringing in a new dog to existing ducks. But it went well, just lots of caution and common sense with introducing and taking our time.

 

[Poupoulles]

What happened with us was the importance of dogs being generally obedient. Most country dogs kind of do what they want. But we put ours through the classic city slicker training with leashes or anything. Its the first and last time our dogs were on a leash!!!
But regardless, having really obedient dogs means that you can get them to obey you about anything, even delicious chickens. So even with the chicken training I would dust off that leash and do a full on training with treats, clickers, whistles, whatever. All the usual, sit, stand, shake, roll over, walking nicely on a leash, asking permission to go outside, even if the door is open. Letting the people go out the door ahead of the dogs, no jumping, etc etc etc
Basically a really well behaved, really trained dog is worth its weight in gold. I may never ask my dogs to do any of these tricks ever again but they are very obedient and very focused on us. So when the delicious and fascinating chickens, pigs, turkeys, etc etc came along we just told them NO a couple times and they got the message.

Our dogs- 110 lb rottweiler and 70 lb Pit/Shepherd/ab mix with a STRONG prey drive.

 

[Katieleigh970]

My Two dogs were about 6 years old when we first got chicks, and from the beginning my dogs were exposed to them because they lived in a little crate in the house with their heat lamp until they were old enough to put outside. After a few supervised days with the dogs and the now full grown girls in the backyard together the dogs figured out they would get sprayed with the hose if they tried to chase one of the girls. (My dogs hate being sprayed with the hose, they aren't fond of getting wet!) After that we could leave the dogs in the backyard with the girls without supervison and we didn't lose any chicks to the dogs, but the dogs would chase away any cats that would try to walk along the fence or get the girls.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I realize this thread is over a year old but still. We just recently moved to the country last summer and finally have room for some chickens which we are getting as chicks at the end of next month. We have 3 dogs; a very high prey drive Siberian husky, an excitable mutt (possibly plott Hound/Jack Russell terrier), and an English Bulldog/rottweiler mix. All 3 are going to have to adjust since we want to free range our birds once they're old enough. I'm not so worried about our little Bulldog mix, Sparkles, which is weird since she's the puppy of the group (just turned 2). She's very laid back and eager to please though she did inherit some herding instincts from the rottie in her. Rocky and Dreamy will be a challenge though. Ricky will be 10 years old next month but he still acts like he's 5. High energy and loves to chase things. He tends to be submissive in the house but outside he likes to do his own thing. He listens but goes "deaf" when he's excited. Dreamy is 9.5 years old, full of life, stubborn, bossy, high strung, demanding, pushy, all that stuff typical of a Siberian. Her prey drive is through the roof and she is always chasing and trying to digg things out from under the shed. She actually killed at least one toad last year (we managed to rescue a couple more) and got bit by a snake or stung by something. I know it's not impossible to train her to leave the birds alone as we managed to train her not to kill the cat whom we rescued off the street at only 4 or 5 weeks old. It took a lot of work and constant vigilance. Now they're best friends (it helps that Monro grew up to be a 20 lb cat though). But fatherly, flighty, things going around will be a challenge. The fact that she can't be trusted off leash may work to our advantage though. Any time she's out she's on a 30 ft tie out. Or chicks are going to be in an old dog crate with a heat lamp on the screen porch when we first get them so I'm thinking maybe a lot of supervised, socializing time out there before they're big enough to go to the coop. Think that'll help?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I realize this thread is over a year old but still. We just recently moved to the country last summer and finally have room for some chickens which we are getting as chicks at the end of next month. We have 3 dogs; a very high prey drive Siberian husky, an excitable mutt (possibly plott Hound/Jack Russell terrier), and an English Bulldog/rottweiler mix. All 3 are going to have to adjust since we want to free range our birds once they're old enough. I'm not so worried about our little Bulldog mix, Sparkles, which is weird since she's the puppy of the group (just turned 2). She's very laid back and eager to please though she did inherit some herding instincts from the rottie in her. Rocky and Dreamy will be a challenge though. Ricky will be 10 years old next month but he still acts like he's 5. High energy and loves to chase things. He tends to be submissive in the house but outside he likes to do his own thing. He listens but goes "deaf" when he's excited. Dreamy is 9.5 years old, full of life, stubborn, bossy, high strung, demanding, pushy, all that stuff typical of a Siberian. Her prey drive is through the roof and she is always chasing and trying to digg things out from under the shed. She actually killed at least one toad last year (we managed to rescue a couple more) and got bit by a snake or stung by something. I know it's not impossible to train her to leave the birds alone as we managed to train her not to kill the cat whom we rescued off the street at only 4 or 5 weeks old. It took a lot of work and constant vigilance. Now they're best friends (it helps that Monro grew up to be a 20 lb cat though). But fatherly, flighty, things going around will be a challenge. The fact that she can't be trusted off leash may work to our advantage though. Any time she's out she's on a 30 ft tie out. Or chicks are going to be in an old dog crate with a heat lamp on the screen porch when we first get them so I'm thinking maybe a lot of supervised, socializing time out there before they're big enough to go to the coop. Think that'll help?

I would recommend working with one dog at a time at first. While it's going to be a bigger time commitment, it makes it much easier to correct behavior right away (which is key) and there are less distractions and excitements around. Once the dogs are doing well have two in the yard and then work your way up to three. I would also recommend focusing on their energy. Any excitement, even if it is just happy, playful excitement is still a NO and a removal from the situation in my book--the goal is very calm and relaxed at all times when around the birds.

Good luck!!!